Carney, Sandoe & Associates, an educational recruitment firm, is currently seeking an experienced Director of Institutional Advancement at an independent school in Philadelphia.

Cornerstone Christian Academy, a non-denominational, Christian school serving children in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade, located in Southwest Philadelphia, is a place filled with hope for children. Since 1988, the school has achieved so much, providing a rigorous education while integrating Christian faith and character development to prepare students for success in high school, college service, and beyond.

Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of the school’s Advancement efforts. Create and implement the annual development plan, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship; management of the Annual Fund; cultivation of major, planned and endowment gifts; building the foundation for future capital campaign efforts; alumni and community-wide relationship development and stewardship; and major event planning and execution.
• Work with the Head of School and CEO, Advancement staff, Advancement Committee, and the Board of Trustees to establish and implement a cohesive and forward-looking Advancement strategy that is aligned with the school’s strategic plan, fosters a community-wide culture of philanthropy, and provides a revenue stream that significantly contributes to the financial sustainability of the school.
• Establish the direction for, and manage all aspects of, school fundraising efforts, including goal setting; annual and capital campaign execution; donor stewardship; alumni and parent relations and activities; and philanthropic financial reporting and analysis.
• Collaborate as a strategic member of the senior leadership team, contributing to the overall vision, strategy, and leadership of the school. Collaborate with all Advancement Team members and senior leaders, to ensure that all programs are aligned with CCA’s advancement strategy and incorporates a philanthropic perspective.
• Maintain a portfolio of major gift donors, businesses, and individuals to discover, cultivate, solicit, and steward through the process of soliciting a gift for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) Program.
• Provide oversight of the recording, acknowledging, and reporting of contributions, including monthly development reports. Collaborate closely with the Director of Finance to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of all financial records related to CCA fundraising.
• Nurture and maintain a highly collaborative relationship with the Head of School and CEO, Board Chair and individual Board and Advancement Committee members, supporting them in all their fundraising responsibilities and accompanying them on donor visits when appropriate.
• Manage members of the Advancement Team, including the Director of Communications, Community Relationships Manager, Advancement Coordinator, while working closely with Admissions Staff to steward public relations efforts and keep the media informed of school news including student accomplishments, special programs, alumni functions, and other events.

Qualifications:

• An appreciation and passion for the mission of Cornerstone Christian Academy with a deep-rooted commitment to Christian education.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in advancement, with a proven record of success securing major gifts and building development program infrastructure. CFRE certification preferred but not required.
• Proven experience developing solicitation strategies and a track record of success identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gift donors, including sophisticated, high-net-worth individuals.
• Broad exposure to all facets of development, including data management and analysis, annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations and capital campaign planning and implementation.
• Ability to cultivate, grow and maintain excellent donor relations while identifying opportunities to work with foundations, businesses, and government agencies.
• Visionary and strategic planning capabilities to be applied toward the development of an innovative fundraising program, and the leadership necessary to ensure its successful implementation.
• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to build, foster and maintain positive relationships with both internal and external constituencies including administrators, faculty, trustees, volunteer leaders, students, and donors.
• Ability to articulate a Christian philosophy of education that recognizes the need for appropriate programs to serve a range of students’ needs, interests, and enrichment.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills complemented by a demonstrated ability to interact with diverse personalities and situations with ease and grace.
• Superior communication skills to express, orally and in writing, Cornerstone Christian Academy’s mission, vision, and goals with clarity, passion, and persuasion.
• Possess a sense of humor, positivity, and a spirit of generosity.
• Willingness to listen, to learn, and to grow professionally as well as personally.
• Experience with diversity and the capacity to demonstrate a high degree of cultural competency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases; eTapestry preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE and advanced degree is a plus.
• Willing and able to travel periodically; must be available to attend events after work hours or on weekends as needed.

Potential Benefits: Compensation and benefit packages are competitive but will differ by school and will typically depend on geographic location, your experience, and your level of degree.

Competitive pay